Dive Report 22 January

A Discover Scuba student, bridge-buddy Tobin, and I had a great one hour, twenty-two minute dive today in seventy-two degree water with between ten to fifteen feet of vis. The strong southwest wind definitely has stirred up the lagoon; the water is milky. Nevertheless, we saw several bandtail searobins, and the lionfish, both of which you can see thanks to Tobin's photos. The juvenile lionfish is at the top of the arch. A seahorse is in the photo of the lionfish, but is difficult to see. We saw a shortnose batfish and a juvenile batfish, the identity of which I just can't say. A little yellowhead jawfish entertained us while eating its lunch. The french angelfish seemed to want us to take notice of them today as we had juveniles, intermediates, and adults right in front of us. Getting out of the water was nicer today in eighty degree breezes. Even the fresh water rinse did not have to be hurried. Great day under the bridge! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 20 January

A seventy-five degree water temperature and thirty plus feet of vis on a bright, sunny, not-too-cold day made today's dive a sweet one. My open water student and I did one hour, twenty-nine minutes in the water and we were both quite comfortable in 5mm wetsuits. We saw the little spotted eagle rays, the lionfish, a seahorse, and many of the regulars. While rinsing off at the fish cleaning table we saw a manatee swim by. Even on ebb tide the water was quite clear. It was a very nice day to be in the water. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 18 January

ANOTHER fabulous day at the bridge! Three open water students, a parent, and long-time bridge buddy, Tobin, and I were at the bridge for a 10:01 high tide on a bright, sunny day. The water temperature bounced between seventy-one and seventy-two degrees; I was toasty in my 5mm wetsuit and 3mm hooded vest for the fifty-five minute dive, but one of my students in a 3mm was quite cold at the end. Nevertheless, it was worth it because with twenty feet of vis we saw some spectacular critters. Tobin's photos of the manatee and the seahorse accompany this report. Many thanks to him for sharing them. He had some great pictures of a school of horse-eye jacks, too. I was preoccupied with watching my students and going through the skill sets, but we still ran right into two spotted eagle rays foraging for breakfast. We have seen the eagle rays and the manatees the last several times we've been at the bridge. What an incredible place! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 16 January

I didn't think there was anything above a 5 WOW day, but today was either a 5 and 1/2 or a 6 WOW. The reason for the uncertainty is that for the first time we saw a lionfish at the bridge. It was fascinating to see, but, of course, it is an invasive species capable of doing great damage from what I've been told. With the numbers of lionfish skyrocketing in the Bahamas and their numbers increasing off Florida's east coast, I suppose the growth of the lionfish population is inevitable. I'm not happy about it. On a more positive note, we started the dive by hanging around a manatee that tolerated our presence very patiently. It appeared to be napping or saving its energy; in any case it didn't move except to get a breath every once in a while. BIG animal! We saw the spotted eagle rays again today as did everyone with whom we spoke after the dive. The eagle rays must cruise the whole south side of the bridge and beach areas. The green moray was at the south side of the last bridge support again today. We saw a batfish at the little "upside down" wreck that is close to the channel. With thirty-plus feet of vis I didn't hesitate to go out there with my open water student. A sharptail eel hunted for its breakfast. A bandtail sea robin appeared to be doing likewise. A medium-sized southern stingray flew around us for quite some time. It didn't appear to be hunting; it looked as though it was just enjoying performing for divers. A good-sized helmet conch was in the sand just south of the second set of pilings. A small black grouper hunted between the second and third set of pilings. With a water temperature of seventy-two I was comfortable in my 5mm suit and 3mm hooded vest. My student, in a 3mm suit, was a bit chilly at the end of the dive, but not chilly enough to want to get out of the water after our one hour, twelve minute dive! There was just so much happening! Michele is posting her pictures to accompany this report. Thanks, Michele! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 15 January

A 5 WOW day! An open water student and I were at the bridge today at sunrise in preparation for the 8:16 high tide. We had a partly cloudy sky with an air temperature in the mid to high sixties; it was nice compared to what we've been experiencing lately. I didn't need a coat even though we had a pretty steady breeze from the east. The vis was around thirty feet and the water temperature was a constant seventy-two degrees. During the course of our one hour dive we saw three juvenile spotted eagle rays, or the same one three times, or two of them, or whatever. Anyway, the eagle rays (or ray) didn't shy away from us. Breakfast was definitely the focus and we were able to watch for several minutes without the eagle ray flying off. Over the sand south of the second set of pilings was a seahorse next to a sea urchin. It was a little red one. My student was fascinated. (So was I.) At the southern end of the solid bridge support by the boat channel was a medium-sized green moray. That is the first green moray I have seen at the bridge in over a year. I can't remember when the last time was. The little blue angelfish juvenile is still in the "canyon" along with a french angelfish juvenile cousin that was cleaning Atlantic spadefish. There are still lobster around, amazingly enough. On our way back east there was a giant ocean-sized southern stingray gracefully flying toward the channel. It appeared something broke its tail; there was quite a bend in it. The grand finale was actually an out-of-the-water-while-rinsing-gear experience. Two manatees swam along the seawall by the fish-cleaning table where we rinse off. For her first salt water scuba experience, my open water student had a spectacular one. That's why we do this, isn't it? Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 8 January

This report is a couple of days late, but it was a fabulous day to be at the bridge. The sunny day visibility was thirty feet! The water temperature was seventy-two. The air temperature was sixty-five, balmy compared to the thirty-two degrees and windy conditions we have this Sunday morning. I was scheduled to conduct a Discover Scuba, but the student backed out; I linked up with friends and dived anyway. We saw a little spotted eagle ray cruising between the second and third set of pilings. Six or seven lobster are hanging under the fishing pier. We are seeing large numbers of Atlantic spadefish out by the boat channel. In the "canyon" between the bridge support and the boat channel there is a beautiful juvenile blue angelfish. It's color is so bright you can't miss it. Juvenile french and gray angelfish are everywhere. The smallest southern stingray I've ever seen was out by the sailboat with the pontoon platform. We were in the water for an hour. In my 5mm wetsuit and 3mm hooded vest I was very comfortable. I'm scheduled to be at the bridge today and tomorrow, but I have postponed my dives until the windchill climbs above the twenties forcast for today. Get in the water (when the windchills get back to a more normal level), Ham

Dive Report 3 January

It wasn't really muddy water; it was sandy water. Anyway we had four feet of vis today in sixty-eight degree water. Big change from yesterday! My open water student was here for just two days so we had to get it done and that we did in really lousy conditions. No choice. It was great practice for the lost buddy procedure. I probably should have used a tether; I've actually seen instructors do that at the bridge. We got a few more inches of vis out at the channel and were able to see a polkadot batfish on our way back to the beach. I have to give my student credit for being tough and determined. In two three millimeter wetsuits she said that the one hour dive time was still comfortable. I was toasty in my drysuit. Once in a while we get a more challenging dive; that is what makes the beautiful ones so special. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 2 January

The water was THIRTY degrees warmer than the air temperature! An open water student and I had a beautifully sunny day, but the wind out of the northwest was a bit chilly to say the least. There weren't many divers at Phil Foster; odd for a Saturday, but not a Saturday with breezy temperatures in the forties. Anyway, the water temperature was seventy-three and the vis was about ten feet. The rough water offshore and the inland water chop has lifted sand into the water reducing the vis. We saw a couple of southern rays, several lobster, the ever-friendly school of spadefish, the zooming-about stoplight parrotfish, and, to reward us for braving the elements, an enormous MANATEE! RIGHT UP CLOSE! Incredible. It was very close to shore in four feet of water. We got a real good look at it. What a thrill for my student's first dive! My student was in two three millimeter wetsuits and was comfortable for our fifty-five minute dive. I was in my drysuit. The bridge always seems to have a reward for the effort. Get in the water, Ham